From 5 to 7 May 2026, the town of Sora, in the Lazio region of central Italy, became a temporary hub of European educational collaboration. Istituto Comprensivo Sora 2 “Riccardo Gulia” welcomed delegates from five partner countries for the Learning, Teaching and Training Activity (LTTA) of the Erasmus+ KA2 project Bright Mind — an intensive programme combining formal professional development, collaborative workshops, and cultural immersion.

The Bright Mind project brings together six institutions across Europe united by a shared commitment to developing more inclusive, participatory, and effective teaching methodologies. The LTTA represented one of the project’s most significant milestones, offering educators from Spain, Poland, Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland, and Italy the rare opportunity to work side by side, compare practices, and co-design innovative approaches to learning.

The week commenced on Tuesday, 5 May, with the arrival of participants and an institutional welcome at the host school. Tuesday and Wednesday were devoted to the core training activities of the programme. A keynote session delivered by Professor G. Carollo on the theme of “Music Therapy and Inclusion” opened the proceedings, offering a thoughtful framework for considering the relational and emotional dimensions of learning. 

Subsequently, several LTTA activities were carried out focusing on the project’s core themes:

• How Learning Works in Practice
• Active Recall
• Peer Learning
• Design Thinking
• Metacognition and Reflection
• How to Adapt an Existing Lesson Using the BrightMind Methods

 

Each institution prepared and delivered a presentation on a specific topic, sharing it with the other participants. Many of the activities included a workshop-based dimension, encouraging collaborative work and continuous exchange among participants. This approach made it possible to experiment with innovative methodologies, share professional experiences, and reflect on potential practical applications within each school context. 

 

On Wednesday, 6 May, after all the partner presentations had been completed, the activities focused on piloting and discussing the future developments of the project. Partners gathered to discuss the project’s future trajectory, reviewing the activity calendar, distributing responsibilities, and agreeing on dissemination strategies — all with the aim of ensuring the project’s impact extends well beyond the week itself. 

 

A convivial lunch at the Riserva Naturale di Posta Fibreno, a nature reserve of outstanding scenic value, offered a welcome opportunity for informal exchange. Participants later visited the Castello Boncompagni-Viscogliosi and the spectacular waterfall at Isola del Liri, two landmarks emblematic of the region’s historical and natural heritage. The day concluded with the formal award of certificates of participation and a dinner, during which partners reflected on the experience and celebrated the bonds forged over the course of the week. 

Thursday brought a full-day excursion to the Reggia di Caserta, one of Italy’s most celebrated royal complexes and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mobility ended on Friday, May 8th with the departure of the participants.

The Erasmus+ KA2 Bright Mind project has demonstrated that meaningful educational innovation is not confined to individual classrooms or national systems. By bringing together teachers and educators from across Europe, the project creates the conditions for a richer, more reflective professional practice — one grounded in evidence, enriched by diversity, and oriented towards the needs of all learners. The participants depart Sora not only with new methodological competencies but with an enlarged professional network and a renewed sense of what European cooperation in education can achieve.